1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bag type containers which are used to package various articles of merchandise, for example, saw blades, knives, rulers, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flexible, generally flat, bag type containers are shown and described in several U.S. patents, including for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,254,828; 3,826,026; 4,406,371; 4,417,658; 4,557,384; 5,765,341 and 5,938,013. In general, these containers are formed from flexible plastic sheets which are sealed together around their periphery and formed with an opening in the form of a slit which extends across one of the sheets. In order to maintain the opening closed, a tab or flap is provided to cover the slit. Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,837, shows flat sheets with non-covered slits; but those sheets are used to form holders for envelopes and the like which are carried between the sheets in such a way that they protrude out through the slits so that the slits are always open.
Another bag type construction, which is currently in use, comprises a pair of elongated rectangular plastic sheets which are sealed to each other along their side edges and along a bottom end. One of the sheets is longer than the other so that the other or top end of the shorter sheet is not sealed. A third sheet is sealed to the top and side edges of the longer sheet which extend downward beyond the top end of the shorter sheet. This third sheet includes a flap which extends down over a portion of the shorter sheet to cover the opening at the top end of the shorter sheet. A resiliently flexible stiffener panel is sealed to the longer sheet in the region beyond the shorter sheet and is covered by the third sheet. This multi-piece construction is complex and expensive to manufacture and it is inconvenient to manipulate the flap when inserting or removing the merchandise.
It is desired to provide a bag type container construction which is simple and economical to manufacture and which allows for easy insertion and removal of merchandise. At the same time it is desired that the container have a closure which effectively retains the merchandise during normal handling.
According to the present invention, there is provided a novel flexible bag type container construction which comprises a pair of rectangular flexible sheets of the same size which are sealed to each other around their periphery. One of the sheets is constructed or reinforced so as to be made stiff and resiliently bendable about an axis in a region near one end of the sheets. The other sheet is slit in a direction transverse to the axis of bending and the slit is located at a position entirely within the resiliently bendable region. By locating the slit entirely within the resiliently bendable region, the slit may be opened for the insertion or removal of merchandise by flexing the resiliently bendable region; and when the resiliently bendable region is thereafter released, it returns to a flat condition and causes the slit to close. The length of the slit is such that it does not extend to the edges of the other sheet, so that the other sheet is continuous around the slit. This feature makes the container stronger. It does not tear apart as other designs.